Character Theory

In my project, I wish to integrate the Character Theory. To understand it better, I did some research. 

The basic explanation of Character Theory is that characters can be classified into specific roles. Vladimir Propp was a folklorist and scholar, he was interested in the relationship between characters and narrative, he also analysed the basic elements of Russian folk tales to identify their simplest structural units. He claimed that there's seven types of characters:

Hero

A hero is a person who is admired for their courage, achievements, or noble qualities. Propp described two types of heroes:

• The Seeker Hero - A hero that chooses to help someone else by defeating the villain and solving a problem.
• The Victim Hero - A hero that is being harmed or attacked by the villain and later overcomes his challenge.

In the case of our project, Ben would be classified as the hero, even though at the end of the film, the audience find out that he's not good.

Villain 

The villain causes harm or trouble by doing things like stealing a magical object, destroying crops, kidnapping someone, or even committing murder to benefit themselves. In the case of our project, Ivan and Maverick would be classified as the villain. 

Dispatcher

After the villain causes trouble, the dispatcher calls for help. In many stories, a character offers a reward to the hero who can fix the problem, or a family member asks their children to defeat the evil threatening their home.

Helper

A helper assist the hero in getting what they need to fix the problem. They might guide the hero on the right path or even transport them to their destination. In the case of our project, Mr. Travers would be classified as the helper. 

Donor 

The doner will give the hero an object that will help him succeed. For example, a robber might show the hero a weapon that he can use. 

Princess

Usually, the hero goes into an adventure to rescue a princess. A princess in the Character Theory is a reward or motivation for the hero. For example, a princess can be a victim, a missing person that the hero is close to. In the case of our project, Ben's freedom would be classified as the princess. 

False Hero 

A false hero is a character that may appear good, but is actually working to prevent the hero from succeeding. A specific example would be Hans from Frozen. Hans pretended to love ana only so he can steal the throne of Arendelle.

Although Propps was analysing Russian stories, he believed hes characters types were universal and timeless. In my final project, I would like to illustrate the character theory by the character's expression, posture, clothing,environment, and screen time, since there's no dialogue in the film opening. 

Resources: 

An introduction to Propp's 7 character types and spheres of action in the narrative functions.

Vladimir Propp

Narrative techniques